I'll Wait for You
by ekagrey
Summary: This one takes place after the season finale 3.25. It is all about Izzie and George. Begins with Izzie sitting in the church waiting...explores what's going through her mind and what George is going to do about the failed exam and his love life.
1. Chapter 1

-1**I don't own Grey's Anatomy or any of its characters**. I do however like to take them, manipulate their stories and come up with what I would like to see happen. I love the relationship between George and Izzie. Don't get me wrong, I feel for Callie, but I'm still rooting for Iz and George. Hope that you guys like this one. Please review and tell me whether I should keep going…Thanks!

I'll Wait For You

He had said that he would talk to her at the church. In the locker room before everyone had scrambled to get out the door in those final crazy seconds he had looked her directly in the eye and told her that he would.

George always meant what he said. Out of all the people in Izzie Stevens life he was the most consistent. In the past few years he had never once missed an important moment in her life. He had been her confidant, her shoulder to lean on, to cry on. It was his bed she crawled into the night Alex disappointed her on their first date. He was the one she called when she cut Denny's L-VAD wire and he had been there to pick up the pieces of her broken heart after Denny died. He had forced Izzie to cash her inheritance check. And it had been George who held her hand as an incredibly huge needle drew marrow out of her bone to give to the most important person in her life, her child; the daughter that she had given up eleven years ago…

George…he had been there through it all…how had she not seen him before? When had the sisterly love she felt for him grow into this overpowering, all consuming love? When had he evolved into more than just good, old, dependable George. When had he become as necessary to her as her next breath? He was the love of her life. A small bitter smile played about her lips. She brushed a loose strand of blonde hair out of her eyes. It didn't matter that the wedding never happened, that the stunned guests had filed out and left the church empty and silent; George was coming. Yes, he had told her that he would be at the church, so eventually she would hear him come though those doors.

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George paced back and forth in the locker room. He glanced from the empty locker that had once been his to the bag stuffed with the remnants of the past two years of his life. What had happened? When had the foundations he had strived so hard to build fall out from under his feet? He had always prided himself on knowing what he wanted…unlike his brothers George had dreams bigger than just simply following in the family's footsteps. He wanted more and had almost had it until today. He had failed his intern exam.

He wasn't sure exactly how that had come about. He had studied…multiple times, he knew the material. Right now if someone came in and rattled off a question he was certain that he could come up with the answer. He had had two years of hands on practice with the material. It had been his life. Now it was in ruins. Time had not been on his side lately. Just as the most important test of his career was drawing near, he found himself desperately in love. Not with Callie; his wife, the woman he had promised to love and cherish forever. No George was hopelessly, completely in love with his best friend, Izzie Stevens.

She was his soul mate, his match in so many ways, and she had been there through it all. She knew more about him than any other person on earth. How had it been possible for them to be that close and not fall in love? For so long George had seen himself as out of her league. Come on she was a model for crying out loud. The thought that she loved him, really loved him, had never crossed his mind until the night that Callie threw it up in his face. It opened so many doors, made so many things clear. Now it was easy to see why she had been so upset when he had married Callie. It made sense to him why Callie was so jealous. There was love there. Callie had seen it and defined it for them.

Before he had found out that he failed his exam, George had decided what he was going to do. Yes he had married Callie and yes he owed it to her to try to make things work, but that's what he had been doing and they both had been suffering.

Izzie had been suffering as well. He had been holding her in limbo; not willing to draw her in, but neither willing to completely push her away. He owed both women answers and today had been the day that he was going to do it. He had planned to go to the church, to tell Izzie that he loved her just as much as she loved him. He had made his mind up that morning, right before she told him that she loved him.

Now it was all shot to hell. His medical career and his future with Izzie. There was no way he was going to repeat his internship here just as there was no way he was going to hang around and watch everyone move on without him. George knew how his friends would reacts, he could already see their faces, already hear their excuses and words of encouragement. No way, he was not going to let that happen. He considered himself, by all standards a failure, but he wasn't going to hang around and be a failure in Seattle. He had to get away. To tear himself from the place and the people he had so desperately come to love. It was the only way he was going to be able to deal with this mess that he now found himself in.

George picked up two blank sheets of paper and grabbed a pen. He was going to compose two letters: one to Callie, and one to Izzie.

_Callie,_

_I'm so sorry for the past few months. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to be the man or the husband that you expected and deserved me to be and it kills me that I've hurt you. I have to leave Seattle for a while. I don't know when or if I'll be back. I've made such a mess out of everything. I'm not asking or expecting you to forgive me. Hate me if it'll make life easier, if it'll allow you to move on. I want you to be happy, I want you to be loved endlessly… you deserve it and I can't give it to you. You know deep down in your hear that I can't. I'll file for a divorce and send you the papers. Please sign then Callie; do yourself the favor. I'm not good for you._

_George_

He looked at the paper in his hand. Regret and sadness left a bitter taste in this throat. She was a good woman, she didn't deserve this. He folded the paper and tucked it into his breast pocket. Hopefully she would still be at the wedding when he slipped into the hotel and he could leave it on the bed. He sighed and began to write the other letter, the one that was going to leave his heart in shreds. This one he would take to the house he once considered his home and leave it in Izzie's room. He could for one more second be surrounded by her presence. She was so vibrant, so alive. Even her room held a little part of her essence, her energy. He felt the tears begin to build in the back of his eyes. Writing this letter was going to be one of the hardest things that he had ever done.

_Izzie,_

_I love you. More than anything you need to know that. I've tried to hold it back, tried to deny it, but I can't. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You are my soul mate, my confidant, and my best friend which is why I am not going to lie to you. I failed my intern exam. I know that you knew something was wrong today when we got our test results. I could tell by the look in your eyes. You knew. _

_I have spent the last two and half years of my life working to become a doctor. I've put sweat, blood, and tears into it. I don't know what happened…all I know is that I failed. I failed Bailey, you, Callie…my life is a mess and I can't deal with it here. I can't repeat my internship here and I can't just quit. I need to get away for a while to clear my head, to figure out what the hell I'm going to do now. I love you…I love you so much that I'm afraid it will cloud all the decisions that I make if I stay. So please just give me some time and have faith that I'll do the right thing. Remember that I love you…please remember that._

_George_

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The light playing across the church in its brilliant and colorful patterns began to fade with the setting of the sun. Izzie's back had become stiff. He legs and hips ached from the constant and unforgiving pressure of the hard wooden pew. _Just a little while longer_, she told herself. _He'll be here; he has to be…he has to know_. She rubbed a palm over her still flat mid section. It glided easily over the silky satin of her dress. A dreamy, far away look came into her eyes. There was life here. Obviously it hadn't been planned and goodness knows how things were going to play out, but this was her miracle; a testament to love. Whether that love was right or wrong, it was there; it was tangible.

Her hand continued to make lazy circles over her womb. There was no way that she was giving this baby up. She was no longer the hormonal, scared, and helpless teenager who found herself backed up against a wall. She had a job (a damn good one at that), a home, and most importantly a family; one that had been made from scratch. There was love and support there. She had Meredith, Cristina, Alex; even Derek, Burke, and Bailey when it came right down to it in addition to George. She felt sure, in her heart of hearts that George loved her and that once he found out about the baby, he would make an effort to do the right thing by everyone. Whether or not he left Callie, whether or not he chose to be an active part of the baby's life, Izzie knew without a doubt that she was not going to be alone.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Callie. The name bounced around in her head like an unwanted song that she was doomed to sing over and over until she finally lost it. Callie was going to be a challenge. Life was so crazy; the very day that she planned to tell George about their baby, Callie announced that she was trying to have one. Everything from here on out was a matter of if. If Callie was pregnant, George would be obligated to stand by her…if…if. If and all the possibilities that went along with the word were too uncertain for her to worry about now. Her situation, unlike Callie's wasn't a matter of if. The deed had been done, the baby was here. All she needed to do was tell George and until she did, until he got a chance to hear from her own lips about the baby's existence, Izzie wasn't going to worry about the if's. Time would take care of everything eventually. All she had to do was have faith, and faith was one thing that Izzie Stevens prided herself on having above all else.

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George slipped silently through the front door of the darkened house. The only light came from the light over the stove. It was a soft light, one not made for illumination, but for comfort. Its soft glow cast deep shadows in the hall; a sort of sleepy, dreamy look. Ignoring the comfort and homey feel that the house offered, George climbed the stairs that he knew so well to leave the dreaded note. He wished with all his heart that he could go back in time, repeat the intern exam. That was all he wanted. He didn't wish that the mess he had made of his marriage to disappear, that was asking too much; he had gotten himself into that situation all on his own. He was more than willing to deal with the consequences there, but oh how his wished for another chance at that test…it would allow him to stay…to fight…to love.

He didn't need light. He knew this hall just as well or even better than the one downstairs. He knew that Meredith's room was the last door on the left, directly in front of the bathroom. He laughed to himself remembering the days when he used to pine after her; the days when he believed the world began and ended with Meredith Grey. It was so bittersweet to think about it now. The fact that he wasn't with Meredith didn't bother him, but the aftermath of the situation; meeting and needing Callie, pulling away from his friends, especially Izzie; that bothered him. If only he had looked at what was right in front of him, if only he had seen his best friend for what she was to him now. Would things have changed? Would he have been ready for them to? Would she? There was no way to know now.

He pulled his eyes away from Meredith's door and turned to the one directly to his right. He touched the knob and allowed his eyes to close for just a second. He allowed his heart to beat a little faster, he allowed his breath to catch in a quiet sob. This was it, after he left this note there was no turning back…he grabbed the knob and pushed open the door.

All her things, her bed, the scent of her perfume, her clothing, her very essence played havoc with his senses. He wanted to curl himself into a ball on her bed and wait for her. She would come, after the wedding reception she would come. There would be a sparkle in her eyes, she would be practically vibrating with the excitement of the day and the energy that she always carried around with her. Her cheeks would probably be rosy, her skin, as always would be soft, her lips would be warm and inviting…He had to leave…now because the temptation to stay, to wait for her, to grab her and kiss her until they were both breathless, to slowly undress her and make her completely his and him completely hers once more was overpowering. The sensations hit him like a tidal wave leaving him weak; breathless. He slowly crossed the room and gently laid the note on her pillow. His insides gave a sickening wrench as he turned to leave.

"I love you Iz," he whispered to the room. "I will always love you…I'll be back…I'll make things right, I promise…please wait for me…please give me time…please Izzie have faith in me."

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The light continued to fade and the room grew cool. Izzie rubbed her bare arms to ward off the chill and opened her eyes. He wasn't coming. Something had to have happened. Maybe he found out that the wedding had been canceled and was waiting for her at the house. Maybe he had gotten caught up at the hospital. Maybe. It was all up in the air, but she knew that it was pointless to keep sitting here unless she intended on spending the night. Even as the thought entered her brain, her stomach growled. She smiled and hoisted herself up. The baby was not going to be as patient with its daddy as she was. Food, a bathroom, and some warmer clothes…that's what she needed. Her body was insisting upon it.

"Okay, okay little one, we're going," she cooed, "We're going."

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Grey's Anatomy or any of its characters.

_Okay guys, sorry that it's taken so long for an update. I think this chapter might make up for the delay. I had a great time writing it…hope you like it. Please review and let me know what you think. It means a lot!_

Izzie sat on the edge of her bed staring into space. She was still in her rumpled bridesmaid dress, she was still fiercely hungry, and she still needed to relive the mounting pressure on her bladder, but she couldn't make herself move. The line of communication running from her body to her brain had been cut off. She could no longer feel the cold or the rumbling in her stomach, she couldn't feel anything. Her unsteady hands clutched desperately to a wrinkled piece of paper. He was gone…gone. Earlier that day he had been there. She had seen him, touched him, told him she loved him and now, now it was like it had all been a dream. It hadn't been real; it couldn't have been because he was gone. George was gone...

A sob caught in her throat; her eyes glazed with unshed tears. Everyone has a breaking point; sooner or later shock begins to wear off and is replaced by a stronger emotion. Izzie lowered her head and gave herself over to gut wrenching, throat constricting, grief filled sobs. They wracked her body. She couldn't catch her breath and she couldn't stop. The pain…the pain of his leaving, of his unwillingness to lean on her was overwhelming. Her shaking legs turned to jello; Izzie slid from the edge of the bed to the floor. She braced her weight on her hands and knees and allowed herself to continue crying. It hurt…it hurt so bad.

Just a few hours earlier she had been so sure that her insurmountable love for George would be able to get them through all the obstacles she knew they were going to face. That love was going to help them get through the mess that was sure to come with Callie, the judgment and wary looks from their co-workers and even possibly their friends. That love was going to make a home for the baby growing in her womb…the baby…the baby. Her realization of the baby's presence brought on a fresh wave of sobs. George hadn't just left her; he had unknowingly run away from their child.

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Alex let himself in the house that he now considered his home. He was tired…the day had dragged itself out and sapped all of his energy with it. First Ava asking him to make her stay, his walking away, the nonexistent wedding, the desperate search to find Ava, coming up empty handed. Yes it had been a long day and all he wanted to do was sleep, to fall recklessly into oblivion. He needed sleep and the chance at tomorrow. Alex had hope that tomorrow held unknown promises. All he had to do was make it through the night and today's problems would meet tomorrow's solutions. A small chuckle formed in his throat as he turned the lock; he never had seen himself as an optimistic, where had that come from?

The sound of intense sobs filled his ears the minute he entered the house. If he had not been so deep in thought, Alex knew he would have heard them from outside of the house. He stopped for a minute and listened. Izzie. His heart caught in his throat even as he took the stairs two at a time.

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"Iz?" He grasped the doorway causing his feet to slide at the sudden stop in motion.

"Izzie." She was on the floor, curled in a ball, sobbing. Without a second thought he had crossed the room and was holding her in his arms, gently rocking back and forth.

"Shh…Iz…it's okay…shh."

"No…it's…n-o-t." She managed between sobs.

Alex continued to rock, to gently whisper soothing words into her hair. What in the world had gotten her so upset? He knew that Izzie was emotional and had a sense for the dramatic at times, but she couldn't be this upset over Cristina and Burke's failed wedding and even if she was, it definitely wasn't something she would cry over. The only time Alex has seen Izzie this distraught was the night that Denny died; so whatever she was crying about had to more than just pain for her friends.

"Iz, breathe. You have to calm down and breathe." He shook her when she didn't respond. "If you don't stop you're going to hyperventilate…Izzie!"

"He's…he's…gone…Alex! He's gone." She managed to spit out those few sentences between huge gasps for air. Her breathing was still erratic and her chest still caught in silent pants from the desperate sobbing, but she was beginning to clam down.

"Who's gone Iz? Burke? I know that you're upset about the wedding but…" His thumbs traced the path of the tears on her flushed face. He was trying his best to soothe.

"No Alex," she gulped cutting him off and frantically clutching his arm, "George."

The feel of his name forming on her lips and the sound of it on her voice was enough to bring the tears back to her eyes. Her chest automatically began to tighten.

"No you don't…you've cried enough…come on Iz…George is fine; he's probably at the hospital or with Callie…anyway what's the big deal, it's George?"

Hundreds of thoughts began to bombard her brain. There were so many things that she could tell him, so many things that none of them knew. This whole thing with George had been going on right under their noses; her friends just weren't willing to see it…just like she and George hadn't been willing to see it. All Izzie could do was thrust her curled fist towards Alex. He had to pry the note from her fingers, not because she didn't want him to see it, she did that was why she thrust it in his face; she just couldn't let go. Letting go was acknowledging what that note said for the truth and Izzie wasn't sure she was ready to deal with all that came with acknowledging it.

Alex quickly scanned to page. He read the words, but none of it made any sense. What in the hell was going on? George failed his intern exam? He was leaving Seattle, but more importantly he loved Izzie? She was his soul mate; his confidant, the love of his life? Okay…so was he just now telling her this? Had this been going on? George was married…there had never been any vibes between him and Izzie had there; or had everyone just taken the relationship between the two of them and Callie's obvious jealously for granted? Had Izzie and George been sleeping together? Had they been in some kind of secret relationship? Was that why she was in his arms now crying and clutching to this worthless piece of paper?

"Iz…" He didn't know quite what to say. What was he supposed to say? Sorry? There was nothing that he could really do; nothing that he could really say. This was all so totally new and shocking to him.

"It's okay…I'm not expecting anything…there's nothing to do or say that is going to make any of this better…it's just…just…I love him so much Alex…I didn't know that I loved him until I knew that I loved him. For so long he was just George; good old, dependable, best friend George, but then after the whole Meredith disaster and Callie trying to steal him away, I knew that he was more than just George; he was George. He came over one night after Callie kicked him out and told him that he was in love with me. We got drunk and laughed about it…before I knew it he was kissing me and I was kissing him back. Things just escalated from there. He was pulling me up. My shirt was over my head and on the floor before I even realized that it was gone…the next morning I woke up remembering everything and he didn't remember anything…"

"Holy crap; that was the morning he was puking in our bathroom…the night that Cristina stayed over. We were all under the same roof…all five of us and you two slept together. How did we not know…how…"

"I don't know…" she cut him off. "It was so crazy, so unexpected. He didn't remember and then later that day he did and ever since then we've been struggling to define what it was. I knew I loved him and I was pretty sure that he loved me, but…" The rest of her words were chocked by a sob. The tears once again began to course down her cheeks. "I don't know how it all fell apart…I told him I loved him today…he said that he would talk to me at the church…I waited….waited after everyone filed out, waited until it got dark, until I got cold and hungry…Alex…" his name came out on a sob, "I'm pregnant."

"What…" Before he could utter another word, she rushed to get it out; she needed to.

"I was going to tell him today…we were only together that one time, but…"

"Iz." He pulled her more tightly into his arms. There was nothing that he could say that was going to ease her pain, to erase what the following weeks, months were going to bring. All Alex could do was hold her.

They sat there, still on the floor in silence. Alex continued to hold her and Izzie continued to silently weep. After a while he nudged her.

"I'm going to get you some water…and something to eat. I know," he said when she began to shift. "I know it hurts Iz, but we have someone else to think about here. We're going to make this okay even if I have to hunt George down across the country. Meredith, Cristina, and I….we're going to be here for you…you're not going to be alone. George said in the note that he was coming back, to trust him…he'll be back Iz…we both know him. Now," he said pulling her to her feet and gently setting her back onto the bed, "I'm going to go get that water and then we'll get you into some warmer clothes. Hopefully Mer will be home soon. It's going to be okay Iz," he said while gently lifting her face to his. "You are going to be okay." With that he planted a soft kiss on her forehead and headed down the stairs.

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He thought nothing of it when he heard the front door open and close with a bang. He had left it unlocked because he had figured that he was going to be the first one home. He continued to fill the glass in his had with ice. Meredith must be home…that was good and from all the noise she was making Cristina must be with her. That was good too. Tonight they all needed to stick together, for Cristina and now for Izzie…especially for Izzie. Cristina had tougher skin, she would make it through, but Izzie, Izzie was going to need the extra support…a baby…his mind almost couldn't take it in.

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"Alex? Meredith?" Izzie had heard the front door slam and the pounding on the stairs. The footsteps sounded too heavy for Meredith and too angry for Alex. She looked up only to meet the furious, somewhat insane glare of Callie Torres, the former Mrs. George O'Malley.

"You bitch," Callie flung the words out at Izzie. Her words dripped with hate and anger. There was no need to conceal it anymore. Izzie Stevens was going to pay for wrecking her life. Whether or not George spelled it out in his letter, Callie knew that Izzie was the reason her world was crumbling down around her shoulders. She was the reason that George was not at home with her now. She was the reason for him pulling away weeks ago. Just today Callie thought that she had began to get her life back in order. She was trying to have a baby…that was a sure fire way to hold onto George, but no…he was gone…all she had left was a note full of excuses. She took in Izzie's face and appearance. Apparently George had left her too. That gave Callie a small sense of satisfaction. Never the less Izzie was going to pay. She pushed herself through the doorway of the room and headed towards the bed and Izzie in sporadic and jerky movements. The intense anger and hatred in her chest made her a little unsteady, but it in no way veered her from her intent. If anything it made it all the more necessary. Her face twisted into a sick smile the closer she got to Izzie. "I'm going kill you."

_TO BE CONTINUED_

_Okay…there it is. Let me know what you think. I like Callie, so please don't think that I'm being cruel to her. It's just that she has had these suspicions for so long and now George has left her. In her eyes Izzie had to be responsible for it. Greif makes people do crazy things. Just keep reading. Trust me; this story is going to take so interesting turns. Please review. It'll help me update a lot sooner. _


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